Tikorangi Farm Wins Taranaki Ballance Farm Environment Award

A
high-achieving Tikorangi dairy farming operation, described
by judges as an outstanding example of best dairying
practise, is the inaugural winner of the 2014 Taranaki
Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

The region’s first
Supreme title was presented to Gavin and Oliver Faull, Faull
Farms Limited, and their sharemilkers, Tony and Loie
Penwarden, at a special Ballance Farm Environment Awards
ceremony on April 3. The Faull Farms Ltd/Trewithen
Partnership also collected the Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil
Management Award, the LIC Dairy Farm Award, the Massey
University Innovation Award and the PGG Wrightson Land and
Life Award.

Gavin and Oliver are directors of Faull Farms
Ltd, which owns the 371ha property near Waitara. The
Penwardens have been sharemilking on the farm since 2004 and
currently milk 850 spring-calving cows and 300
autumn-calving cows on a 282ha milking platform.

Last year
the operation produced almost 488,000kg of Milksolids (MS)
and this season it is on target to achieve
540,000kgMS.

BFEA judges described the business as a
strong example of dairying and what can be achieved with
“two businesses combining effectively to service the
aspirations of both”.

Judges were impressed with the
determination of the partners to achieve best practise in
all areas, noting the outstanding adoption of technology and
innovation, excellent per hectare and per cow production
levels and an “admirable focus on people”.

They said a
long term approach has been taken to minimising the farm’s
environmental impact. Very good progress has been made on
riparian planting, with a sound management plan in
place.

Judges also praised the partnership’s “very
good understanding of soils and how soils impact on the
business” and the integrated approach to effluent
management. All paddocks are soil tested and 136ha of the
milking platform is piped, allowing carefully-timed effluent
applications to be delivered via two smart hydrants, each
with six guns.

The farm has a team of four full-time staff
and six part-time “milk harvesters” and BFEA judges said
the commitment shown to staff and their families is
“exceptional, above and beyond the norm”.

Cows are
milked through a high-tech 60-bale rotary dairy which is
fully automated to enable the collection and analysis of a
comprehensive range of performance data. A former farm dairy
has been converted into a calf-rearing complex with a
computer controlled feeding system.

With ties to the farm
stretching back to 1867, the Faulls have taken great pride
in fostering intergenerational family involvement. Many
visitors have been welcomed to the farm, including
agricultural students, schools and special interest tour
groups.

Judges also commented on the “remarkable
community focus” shown by both the Faulls and
Penwardens.

A field day will be held on the Supreme-award
winning farm, with the date to be advised.

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